Coupon book



B. HARRIS COUPON BOX Feb. 15, 1938.

Filed Oct. 5l 1936 i Cou on l L L 10c 10G Coupon 10c Coupon 10 Couponwho@ @WWW

Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relates to sales or coupon books in which a number ofindividually detachable coupons or tickets are bound into book form,each coupon representing a certain purchasing value in exchange formerchandise, and the book being purchased by customers for a fixed sum,usually less than the aggregate value represented by the coupons, as aninducement to the purchase of the book.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a furtherinducement to the purchase of the books, and with this end in view, theinvention consists of a novel construction and arrangement of the parts,wherein the element of chance is introduced by the incorporation incertain of the books (the particular ones being unknown both to theseller of the book and to the purchaser) of a concealed symbol entitlingthe purchaser of a book bearing this symbol to a refund of the purchasemoney.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds in connectionwith the appended claims and attached drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved coupon book in open condition,to show the construction and relation of the parts of the same;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the same in closed or sealedcondition, in the form in which the book will be furnished by themanufacturer to the salesman or dealer, and sold by him to the customer;

Figure 3 is a similar view, showing the book partially opened by ruptureof the rst seal; and

Figure 4 is a fragmental view similar to Figure 3, showing the secondseal Aruptured to expose the part which may bear the symbol indicatingthat the book with such symbol will entitle the purchaser to a refund ofthe purchase price; and

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating a modified seal for use in thepresent invention.

Referring tothe drawing:

As best shown in Figure 1, the coupon book consists of a block ofcoupons I bound between front and back covers 2 and 3, the said blockcomprising leaves of'coupons, each leaf in the present instance bearingthree coupons 4 separable from each other by horizontal weakened lines5, and separable from the stub or bound-in portions of the leaves byvertical weakened lines B, these coupons representing a certainpredetermined purchasing Value, which is printed thereon as shown.

Attached to the outer edge of the front cover 2 is a folding flap 1,designed to carry on its inner face a symbolv 8, which in the presentinstance is the representation of a four leaf clover, although it willbe understood that any other symbol, sign, figure or mark may beemployed. Certain of the books of a given number thereof will bear suchsymbol, which will entitle the purchaser of the book bearing this symbolto a refund of the purchase price thereof.

At the junction of the flap I with the cover 2, there is provided aweakened line la, the purpose of which will presently appear; and theflap is adapted to be sealed down against the inner face of the cover insuch manner that the seal may be readily broken to release the ap, inorder that the purchaser of the book may determine whether or not theflap bears the lucky symbol. In the present instance this is eifected byapplying to the inner face of the ap at opposite ends thereof, adhesivecoatings 8a, and forming parallel weakened lines 9 in the iiap at theinner edges of the coatings, whereby the ap can be pasted down againstthe face of the cover 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and can be releasedor removed therefrom by tearing along the weakened lines 9 to enable theflap to be turned outwardly, or torn oif along the line la, and therebyexpose its inner face, as shown in Figure 4.

Attached to the outer edge of the back cover 3 is an extension flap I0having its inner face covered with adhesive I I, and adapted when theback cover is closed and the flap I is sealed against 30 the inner faceof the front cover, and the latter is closed, to extend around the outeredges of the coupons and the front cover and lie flatly against theouter face of the latter where the extension flap is pasted down by theadhesive coating, as shown in Figure 2.

Where the extension flap I0 joins the back cover, a weakened line I2 isformed to enable the back to be opened by the customer to permit accessto the sealed flap 1. 40

Figure 2 shows the book in closed sealed condition, as effected by therstseal, which book may be opened by tearing along the weakened line I2;and sealed also by the second seal which may be ruptured by tearingalong the weakened lines 9 to release the symbol-bearing flap, it beingunderstood that the book is delivered by the manufacturer to the dealer(who Will sell them to his customers) in the completely sealed conditionas shown in Fig. 2. 50

The customer when he purchases a book, will break the rst seal bytearing along the weakened line I2 of the outside cover, which willpermit the book to be opened to the position shown in Figure 3, where itwill be seen that, while the p le coupons are exposed, the symbolbearing the flap 'I is still sealed down. The purchaser then tears theflap 1 along the weakened lines 9, and also along the weakened line la,so as to detach the ap from its sealed condition and enable it to bedetermined whether or not it bears the lucky symbol. If the detachedflap bears the prearranged symbol, the ap will be delivered to theseller of the book, and he will return the purchase money to thepurchaser.

In this Way, a very attractive inducement is offered to the purchaser ofthe book on the chance that, due to the fact that a certain number ofthe books offered for sale will bear the lucky symbol, the purchaserwill secure a book with such symbol.

The fastening of the symbol-bearing ap 'I down by adhesive at itsopposite ends as described, precludes the possibility of anyone, beforethe seals are broken by the legitimate purchaser, from ascertaining, bypeering into the ends of the book, if it bears a symbol, which, in theabsence of the sealing of the flap at, its ends, might be accomplishedby bowing or bending the covers of the book outwardly.

It will be noted that, due to the fact that the extension flap l ispasted down against the outer face of the front cover 2, and due to thefact that the symbol-bearing flap 1 may be detached from the cover 2,the coupon book will, after the same has been thus opened by thecustomer, retain its true book form, with no eX- tensions on either thefront or rear covers, such as these covers had before the book wasopened.

The construction of the book as a whole is very simple and compact, andconvenient to handle, both in its sealed condition as shown in Fig. 2,and in its unsealed or opened condition as shown in Figures 3 and 4; anddue to the method of concealing the lucky symbol from all except theauthorized purchaser, and the method by which access is gained to thesame by the authorized purchaser, the element of chance thus introduced,oifers to the purchaser a very attractive and inviting inducement, asidefrom any inducement offered by the reduction in the price of the bookfrom the face value of the coupons.

In Figure 5 a modied form of sealing means is illustrated, the samereference numerals being used to indicate the same parts in this form ofthe invention. As seen in Figure 5, flap lil is provided with end tabsI6 having securing tabs Il formed thereon. Tabs I6 are designed to bebent over the ends of the book and tabs 'l are inserted through slots I8provided in back cover 3 as shown in dotted lines at the lowermost endof the book. The overhanging portions I9 of tab 'l are interlocked withthe cover member 3 so that the tabs Il cannot be withdrawn. When thepurchaser receives the book he tears tabs I6 along weakened lines 2!between the tabs and ap I0 thereby freeing the flap l and coupons Il).Flap I may then be torn oif along line laY and the tabs I1 removed toleave the book in convenient form for use by the purchasers.

The invention may be embodied in other specific Vforms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrativeand not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by theappended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. In a coupon sales book including a series of coupons and a covertherefor, a flap, having a symbol on its inner face, formed on an outeredge of said cover; means for fastening said flap throughout its upperand lower margins to a face of said cover with the symbol concealed; andmeans inwardly of said fastened margins of said ap weakening said flapalong lines parallel to said margins whereby said flap may be severedalong said weakened lines to expose the concealed symbol.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe flap therein mentioned is fastened down on the cover by adhesiveapplied to the margins only of the flap, and that weakened lines areprovided in the ap at the inner edges of the adhesive to release saidflap.

3. A coupon sales book including front and rear covers and coupons boundbetween the same; comprising a symbol-bearing ap on the front coversealed down releasably on the inner face of the cover to conceal thesymbol, an extension flap on the rear cover extending around the outeredges of the coupons and the front cover, and fastened down on the outerface of the front cover, and a weakened line at the junction of theextension flap with the back cover for separation of said extension flapand back cover in opening the book to gain access to the symbol-bearingflap.

4. A coupon sales book, including front and rear covers and couponsbound therebetween, a flap having a symbol on its inner face formed onan outer edge of the front cover, means for releasably fastening theflap face down against the inner face of the front cover with the symbolconcealed, an extension flap on the rear cover extending around theouter edges of the coupons and front cover, means for fastening theeXtension ap down on the outer face of the front cover, and a weakenedline at the point of connection of the extension flap with the backcover adapted to be ruptured to open the book.

5. Indicia concealing means for use in a coupon sales book including aseries vof coupons and a cover having one or more indicia thereoncomprising a flap formed on an edge of the cover, means for releasablyfastening the ap face down against an inner face of the cover to concealthe indicia, a second flap on another edge of said coverextendingaroundl the rst mentioned edge of the cover, means forfastening said second flap down on' the outer face of said cover and aweakened line at the point of connection of said second apand the coveradapted to be ruptured to open the book. v

' BILLUPS HARRIS.

